Tess Amer: It's All About Convenience

Tess Amer, a freshman at the University of Colorado, lives with one other roommate in Sewall Residence Hall. Her favorite place to eat on campus is conveniently, the Sewall Dining Hall.

1) How would you describe your experience in Sewall Hall this year?

• Sewall is nice because it's close to the Rec Center, the library, and other buildings on main campus. "It's awesome having a dining hall right downstairs."
• Downside: The dorm can be loud on weekends, especially late at night when people are drunk and coming back from parties.
• It will be a tough transition next year, when "I can't wake up ten minutes before class" (but looking forward to being able to get away from campus to go home).

2) How do you like Sewall Dining Hall? What about dining services in general at CU?

• Sewall is definitely the best - most variety, omelette station, etc. (although it can get crowded around popular mealtimes).
• Take advantage of the Grab-n-Go's, like Piazano's in Cheyenne-Arapaho Hall and Lickety Split in Libby. "Farrand Grab-n-Go breakfast is my favorite."
• Dining hall food does get old, so go to the Hill or Pearl St. occasionally to eat - it's fun to go out to dinner with your friends anyways.
• It's hard not to overeat when eating is a social thing, and all the dining halls are buffet style.

3) What's your roommate situation like?

• "My roommate and I aren't best friends, but we get along."
• We have similar schedules (both have to get up early for sports practices), so it works out well for us.
• I would suggest doing random roommate selection instead of rooming with someone you already know from high school. That way, you can make new friends and/or learn to cooperate with someone you don't get along perfectly with.
• Make sure to address the issue of drinking in the dorm, especially on weeknights - "It can be hard when you're trying to do homework and your roommate has a bunch of people over."
• Remember that you can get in trouble too if your roommate gets caught with alcohol or drugs in the dorm.

4) What advice would you give to incoming freshmen as they begin dorm life at CU?

• Don't do your laundry on Sunday - washers and dryers are always backed up, and "People will move around your clothes."
• Take naps. It can be hard to get to bed early if your dorm is loud or if your roommate stays up late. "You don't want to be sleep-deprived, because that could hurt your grades and kill your energy."
• Keep your door open, especially early in the year so people can drop by and introduce themselves.
• Take advantage of dorm activities - such as free ice skating/bowling, ping pong tournaments, and movie nights.
• Find a good study place other than your room if you get easily distracted by friends, especially during exam weeks!

Interview Background: I interviewed Tess Amer because she is a current freshman who definitely has enjoyed her dorm experience. She likes the convenience of on-campus housing so much that she plans to be an RA in the upcoming school year. I interviewed Tess in person, paraphrasing most of her answers onto a Word Document but typing in some key quotes as well. Tess was very talkative and didn't seem confused by any questions. If I were to do the project again, I might just ask more questions, since she didn't seem to have a shortage of answers!

Caryn Maconi